Powdered laundry detergents have often been made by simply spray drying an aqueous slurry of the ingredients and adding to the spray dried powder any required additional ingredients such as heat sensitive bleaches, bleach precursors, enzymes, etc. The densities of powders resulting from such processes have generally been low. Recently, it has been thought desirable to be able to offer to the consumer a product of higher density, i.e., a more concentrated product. Such a product would be expected to have among its advantages the fact that less detergent powder would be used to effect a comparable amount of cleaning and that less storage space would be required as a result of its concentrated nature.
Changes in the density of detergent powders also require changes in the packaging of such powders. For instance, the increase in density makes desirable the use of smaller packages to take advantage of the increased concentration of the product. Moreover, smaller packages and the inclusion of handles are desirable due to the increased weight of the product.
A previous package for containing detergent powders of higher concentrations is disclosed in the Giblin et al. co-pending application which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,748, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. The package includes four principal panels, which constitute the four walls of the carton. The walls are shorter than those of the typical detergent carton. Attached to the principal panels are the glue flap and various major and minor flaps for closing the top and bottom ends of the carton. Attached to the two side panels of the carton by means of a rivet is a handle. The carton includes a tear tape extending through three of the principal panels and partially through a fourth. When the tear tape is removed, the fourth panel acts as a hinge, and a top which can be opened and closed is formed.
A disadvantage of prior high density powder packages is that when the carton is stacked in its flattened tubular form prior to erection, the handle and rivets tend to render the carton unbalanced and to destabilize the stack. This can markedly impair the processing of the cartons. One solution to this problem is proposed in the Giblin et al. application mentioned above wherein spacing means are provided within the carton for balancing the stacks. Patents discussing solutions to balancing problems in detergent cartons including plastic fitments include Gunn U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,315, Spahni U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,996, Stone U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,155 and Giblin et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,256.
Dormer U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,817 discloses a chute for feeding articles. Hahn et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,973 discloses a folded carton handling apparatus including suction cups. Pazdernik U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,663 is directed to a carton blank conveyer having vacuum means.